Method for screen printing

Abstract

The specification discloses a method for screen printing comprising providing a sheet of masking sized to cover a porous printing screen, with pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the masking and a protective cover sheet thereover. The masking is positioned, cover side up on a work surface, and the desired pattern is scribed on the cover sheet with a pointed instrument, so as to form an indentation in the masking which is visible from the front side thereof. The masking is then turned over on the work surface, front side up, and is cut along the indentation. The cover sheet is peeled from the back side of the masking, thereby removing the enclosed, cut areas from the masking to form a mask or stencil corresponding to the desired pattern. The stencil is then pressed onto the lower side of the printing screen to attach the same to the screen.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A method for screen printing with a printer having a platen and a porous screen, the improvement comprising: providing a sheet of masking, sized to cover said porous screen, and having front and back sides;   positioning said masking, back side up on a work surface;   scribing a selected pattern on the back side of said masking with a pointed instrument, so as to form a corresponding indentation in said masking which is visible from the masking front side; said pattern including at least one closed area;   positioning said masking, front side up on the work surface;   cutting said masking along said indentation;   removing the enclosed areas of said pattern from said masking to form apertures therethrough; and   attaching said masking to one side of said screen, whereby during printing, ink is forced through said apertures to print said pattern onto an article.   
     
     
       2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said masking back side includes a pressure sensitive adhesive thereon with a cover sheet overlying and adhered to the same;   said scribing is performed on said cover sheet;   said masking attaching step comprising removing said cover sheet, positioning said masking on the work surface, adhesive side up, centering the lower surface of said screen over said masking, and converging said screen into abutment with said masking back side, thereby adhering said masking to said screen.   
     
     
       3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said cutting step comprises manually slicing said masking with a knife.   
     
     
       4. In a method for screen printing with a printer having a platen and a porous screen, the improvement comprising: providing a sheet of masking, sized to cover said porous screen, and including an adhesive coating on a back side thereof with a cover sheet overlying and adhered to the same;   positioning said masking on a work surface cover side up;   scribing a selected pattern on said cover sheet with a pointed instrument so as to form a corresponding indentation in said masking which is visible from the front side of said masking; said pattern including at least one closed area;   positioning said masking front side up on said work surface;   cutting said masking along said indentation;   peeling said cover sheet off of said masking sheet, thereby removing the enclosed areas of said pattern from said masking to form apertures therethrough; and   pressing the adhesive side of said masking into abutment with one side of said screen to interconnect the same, whereby during printing, ink is forced through said apertures to print said pattern onto an article.   
     
     
       5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said masking attaching step comprises positioning said masking on the work surface, adhesive side up, centering the lower surface of said screen over said masking, and converging said screen into abutment with said one masking side thereby adhering said masking to said screen.   
     
     
       6. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said masking comprises a metalized plastic.   
     
     
       7. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said pattern includes alphanumeric symbols; and including   laying out said symbols in a readable left-to-right sequence on said cover sheet before said scribing step.   
     
     
       8. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said masking is transparent; and including   providing a second sheet of masking with a second pattern thereon which mates with said first pattern for printing multicolor designs; and visually aligning said first and second patterns.   
     
     
       9. A method as set forth in claim 4, including: laying out said pattern on said cover sheet with a light marking prior to said scribing step.   
     
     
       10. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said pattern includes closed areas within said enclosed areas;   said masking attaching step further includes removing said closed areas from said cover sheet and positioning the same on said upper surface of said screen in alignment with the associated masking aperture, and temporarily retaining the same in place, removing said enclosed areas from said cover sheet, and adhering the same to the lower side of the screen by aligning the same within the opening of the mating closed area on the screen upper surface.   
     
     
       11. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said cutting step comprises manually slicing said masking with a knife.   
     
     
       12. A method as set forth in claim 11, including: laying out said pattern on said cover sheet with a light marking prior to said scribing step.   
     
     
       13. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said pattern includes closed areas within said enclosed areas;   said masking attaching step further includes removing said closed areas from said cover sheet and positioning the same on the upper surface of said screen in alignment with the associated masking aperture, and temporarily retaining the same in place, removing said enclosed areas from said cover sheet, and adhering the same to the lower side of said screen by aligning the same within the opening of the mating closed area on the screen upper surface.   
     
     
       14. A method as set forth in claim 13, including: laying out said pattern on said cover sheet with a light marking prior to said scribing step.   
     
     
       15. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein: said masking is a metalized plastic.   
     
     
       16. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein: said pattern includes alphanumeric symbols; and including   laying out said symbols in a readable left-to-right sequence on said cover sheet before said scribing step.   
     
     
       17. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein: said masking is transparent; and including   providing a second sheet of masking with a second pattern thereon which mates with said first pattern for printing multicolor designs; and visually aligning said first and second patterns for registry.